Santa Cruz aims for top-four spot

Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz says the club will regard anything less than a top-four finish as failure next season.

City finished 22 points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal last season.

But with Santa Cruz and £12m midfielder Gareth Barry likely to be joined by other big-money signings this summer, a more concerted challenge is expected.

"The top four is the aim. Just to say we want to win as many games as possible will not be enough," he said.

"Winning trophies is a very hard task. It is certainly not going to happen from one day to the next and it is going to take a lot of work."

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" Building slowly and only then trying to attract world-beaters is probably more sustainable in the long run "

"Everyone has their own goals but it is important that everyone thinks in the same way and is pushing in the right direction."

A massive increase in transfer funds since the Abu Dhabi United Group bought out previous owner Thaksin Shinawatra in September has raised expectations at Eastlands.

The £32.5m capture of Robinho on the day as the takeover was followed by the arrival of Craig Bellamy, Nigel de Jong, Wayne Bridge and Shay Given during the January transfer window.

A high-profile pursuit of Brazilian playmaker Kaka failed, but City are now on the trail of Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.

Chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak has previously spoken of his desire to break into the top six next season and Santa Cruz believes manager Mark Hughes, who he played under at previous club Blackburn, is the man to push the club towards Champions League qualification.

"Hughes has a winning mentality deep inside and it is the same for me"

"Obviously the manager made his interest in me quite clear and obviously I was very keen to come.

"I also had to show respect for Blackburn but I was seduced by the fact Mark Hughes was here and I had the chance to play for him again.

"He has a winning mentality deep inside and it is the same for me.

"I know we will play to win every week and try to win things. That is why the decision to come here was so easy."

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